


Maddie

by Seajellybaby



Series: The LA Series [13]
Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Post-Canon, Romance, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22733293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seajellybaby/pseuds/Seajellybaby
Summary: The LA Series is my attempt to continue the Luke and Noah story from the finale onward.  I have tried to keep as true to the original show as possible.  I hope you enjoy it.As these stories are part of a series I have rated them all as mature - Just to be safe...Updated Sept2020
Relationships: Noah Mayer/Luke Snyder
Series: The LA Series [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601257





	1. Chapter 1

_He loved taking the train. Sure, flying was definitely faster, but there was something deliciously archaic about the train. It reminded him of all those epic novels he loved to read. He could pretend to be a distinguished Victorian gentleman, the romantic hero._ _Another great reason to take the train was the views. God but he loved to watch the countryside and cityscapes, the meadows and rivers and lakes as they past by the window. He would dream of owning a farm; leaving the city boy behind to become a successful horse breeder. He would have dogs; three, no four of them! And hopefully he would have a wife… one day._

_But the best reason to take the train was the view it gave him of people. If there was one hobby he loved more than any other, it was people watching. Unlike the plane, each time the train pulled into a station, a dance of musical chairs was played. People he already studied and wondered about; the old lady with the flower hat; the man with the ridiculous mustache; the young couple holding hands; would all leave to be replaced by the tourist and his map; the little girl and her porcelain doll; or the business woman and her briefcase. It fascinated him._

_It was while he was watching this live show that he saw her... as soon as the train pulled into the station... standing on the platform with a frustrated expression on her tiny face... next to a suitcase almost as big as she was. Subconsciously her appearance made him smile._ _He watched as she opened the carriage door; backing up the stairs, trying to drag the enormous case after her. She heaved at it; managed to lift it up one step; slipped and dropped the handle, causing the case to tumble back onto the platform._

_“Shit! Shit! Shit!” she yelled, stamping her little foot._

_He was amazed that even irritated, her voice was like a song._ _Quickly seizing the opportunity to meet the little angel, he ran down the center of the carriage. “Hang on! I’ll get it for you!”_

_“Oh,” she smiled at him with relief. “Thank you so much! It’s a curse to be this small, believe me!”_

_“I don’t know… it seems to suit you,” he replied; descended the stairs and lifted the heavy bag up into the carriage._

_She looked at him surprised by the obviously suggestive compliment; then smiled shyly._

_He returned the smile; placed the suitcase in the luggage rack by the door. “You okay to leave it here?”_

_“Yes, that’s great. Thanks again.”_

_“Um, don’t get the wrong idea or anything, but the seat next to me is empty… if you’re interested?”_

_The girl frowned her brown eyes at him, cocking her head slightly; decided he was harmless and nodded; followed him back to his seat._

_Only after the train had pulled out of the station did he work up the courage to speak again. “Um... work or pleasure?”_

_“Sorry?”_

_“The trip? Are you on business, or are you on vacation?”_

_“University... Wesleyan... I’m due back in two days.”_

_“Oh! Me too!” he said excited. “Law degree…”_

_“Media and Journalism,” she replied._

_A phone rang. She rooted around in her purse looking for it. Hello?... Hi! Yes, I’m on the train... Don’t worry I’ll be fine… Yes… I’m really sorry about this, you know? I didn’t want to leave you like this… I feel awful… I know… Yes…”_

_She laughed, and it affected him in a way no other sound ever had before; as if it somehow managed to float right into the very depths of his soul and take up residence there._

_“Okay darling, love you… I know... See you soon… Bye.”_

_His heart suddenly sank… Of course she would already be taken! Girls like her didn’t just sit on the shelf. He had to know so he asked, “Boyfriend?”_

_He almost cheered out loud when she shook her head. “No. Actually he’s my ex… We were going to share an apartment in Oakdale, but Wesleyan said I had to complete my course with them or I’d lose all my credits so…” She gestured at the train to indicate her reason for being on it._

_“That’s unusual, you know?”_

_“What is?”_

_“Staying friends with an ex? Sharing an apartment?”_

_“Oh well, it’s kind of a special case. He’s gay.”_

_“Oh...” He suddenly felt stupid for pressing her on such a personal issue. God but he was a complete idiot sometimes! “I’m sorry! It’s none of my business…”_

_“That’s okay... I get it a lot actually. I’m just fed-up because he really needs me to be there for him right now, and the stupid university won’t let me transfer.”_

_“Sorry about that…” He genuinely was when he saw the sadness behind her eyes._

_Suddenly and to his horror, she began sniffing and then crying._

You bastard! Why couldn’t you just keep your big mouth closed!

_Quickly, he pulled a pack of tissues from his jacket pocket and handed her one. She took it gratefully; wiped her little button nose in such an adorable way, he actually felt his heart do a little leap inside his chest._

_“I can’t believe I’m blubbering in front of a complete stranger on a train…” She said finally. “I’m so sorry about that!”_

_“It’s no problem.” And it really wasn't._

_“He was in a terrible accident you see… and he lost his eyesight and now… now he’s too proud to let anybody help him! So I thought if I lived with him, then I could be there for him, and he might actually_ let _somebody help… you know?”_

_He didn’t really but he nodded anyway. So long as he could make the delightful creature feel better he was happy._

_***_

_He wasn’t sure when they moved on from small talk to not being able to keep their hands off each other, but about12 hours into the journey, the two of them had their tongues down each other’s throats; a million volts of electricity running between them. He had never wanted a girl like he wanted this one…_

_She obviously felt the same way when she whispered in his ear, “I’ve never done anything like this before but… ah… do you think?”_

_He looked into her eyes, melting at the depths of them; smoldering with passion. He nodded; pushed her with his body to indicate she should stand up. He led her quickly through carriage after carriage until they eventually came to the first class sleeper ones. He checked the small window of each until he found one that was dark and empty; pushed her inside, locking the door; pulling the small blind down._

_Within seconds he was undoing the delicate buttons down the front of her tiny floral dress; pulling one sleeve down to reveal a bra strap. As he kissed her neck he slipped a finger under the elastic; pulled the strap down her shoulder; revealed one small perky breast. He hungrily bent down to draw the nipple tight between his lips, making her gasp._

_There wasn’t much space to maneuver within the carriage, but he spotted a small bedside table attached under the window. He pushed her over to it, lifting her up onto it. She immediately hooked legs around his waist._ _Kissing her deeply on the mouth, he felt her hands pull at the bottom of his shirt; quickly moved back to help her lift it over his head. His skin tingled as she touched him. He returned his mouth to her yearning lips; f_ _elt his way up her thighs; pulled her underwear down. He noticed briefly the small trains pictured on them; chuckled inside at how cute that was. Not to mention ironic!_

_“Have you got a…” but just as the words left her breathy lips, her eyes fell on his hands. He'd already removed a condom from the wallet in his pocket._

_“Always be prepared.” He heard his father’s voice in this head, and he smiled as he thought, “Thanks Dad!”_

_He squeezed closer, her breasts full and soft... one hard visible nipple rose against him. Her mouth opened under his; his hands drifted lower, grasping the swell of bare buttocks. The train rocked hard; they lost their balance briefly, grappling with each other in an effort to stay upright. Once steady he closed his eyes, breathing hard. He entered her gently at first, but she used her body to ask for more and they lost themselves in hard thrusts, both screaming their passion, drowning in the powerful feelings only this type of union could create._

_When he woke up he was on the floor of the train, staring up at a rather unimpressed train conductor. The girl was gone. He didn’t even get her name._

***

“Hey, shift up…” Luke playfully prodded Noah from the side.

Noah was lying on the garden sunbed, stargazing. He shifted over slightly so Luke could lie down in the crook of his arm. “You were on the phone for a long time?”

“It was Terry," Luke replied. Noah immediately tensed at that, but Luke continued anyway. “We don’t have to testify in court.”

“What?”

“She says they have plenty of evidence from his apartment and our written statements will be enough.”

Noah’s relief was obvious. “Good. Then we don’t have to attend the hearing at all?”

“No, but I’m still going too.”

Noah sighed. “Why can’t you just forget it?”

“Because I’m not like you, Noah. I need to know that he gets what he deserves. I need to know that justice is served. And not just for you and for me, but for all those other people he hurt. I need to know that he’s going away for good.”

Noah nodded. “Okay then.” He kissed the top of Luke’s head; interlaced their fingers. After a few minutes of silence he said, “I’ve been thinking…”

“Hmm?”

“How about a pool?”

Luke looked up at him without lifting his head. “You mean out here?”

“Yeah. I can’t afford to put one in right away, but maybe one day?”

“Well Noah, you know _I_ could pay for a pool…”

“I know. But I want to contribute to it as well. So I’ll start to save up for it, okay?”

Luke smiled. "I think it’s a great idea! We can come back from work and hop right in for a swim…”

Noah squeezed him tighter. “I don’t want the pool to swim…”

“No?” Luke asked, confused.

“Nope,” Noah smiled cheekily, “I just want to be able to sit here and watch _you_ swim.”

Luke punched him. “Pervert!”

They laughed together.

Jonathan and Maddie were standing on the other side of the patio. They seemed to be having a heated conversation. She said something to Jonathan, shaking her head before storming off into the house. Jonathan stood... obviously devastated... walked off sadly around the side of the building.

“Do you think they know?” Luke asked.

“That they’re in love?” replied Noah. “I don’t think so.”

“Pretty weird situation really, isn’t it?” asked Luke.

“Maybe we should step in…”

“I don’t know. It’s not really any of our business.”

“Yes, but Maddie’s always been invested in our relationship… maybe we need to return the favor?”

“I still can’t believe she got married without telling anyone! It’s just not like her at all!”

“No, and I get the feeling we still don’t have the full story…”

***

_The students were loud and animated as they packed up their books to head off to the next lecture. Maddie finished writing down a thought in her notebook; closing it and standing up._

_“Maddie?”_

_She sighed at the voice. “Hello Greg.”_

_“Are you doing anything tonight?”_

_“Look Greg, I’m really sorry, but I’m not interested in getting involved at the moment.”_

_“But I don’t understand, Maddie? One minute things looked like they might happen between us, the next thing they’re not.” When she didn’t answer, but continued to pack her rucksack, he said, “Who is he?”_

_“He?” Maddie asked, not looking up._

_“Who are you seeing now?”_

_“Nobody," Maddie said with conviction._

_“Don’t give me that. I know you’re seeing somebody.”_

_Before the conversation could continue, Professor Williams approached them from below._

_“Hello, Professor,” greeted Maddie, and Greg nodded at him._

_“Where were you this morning Mr. Wilson? We had an appointment at 08:30?” The Professor was obviously annoyed._

_“I was working out with the team," Greg replied, nonchalantly._

_“Well I hope it was a good workout, because it just might be your last!”_

_“No way, Professor Williams, we have a game next week!”_

_“Not if your last paper is anything to go on. You and I need to have a nice long talk, so I expect you in my office first thing tomorrow morning. Understood?”_

_Greg sighed; nodded his agreement. The professor returned to the front of the lecture hall to pack up this things._

_“What a jerk!” Greg said to Maddie. “Want to hang?”_

_“No,” Maddie replied. “No thanks.” She hooked her bag over her shoulder; followed the professor down the stairs. By the time she reached him the lecture hall was empty, so she felt safe to say, “Bruce, there’s something I need to talk to you about?”_

_“I’m sorry, Maddie,” he said without looking up, “I don’t have the time.”_

_“But you’ve been saying that all week!” she said with desperation._

_“I’ll call you, okay?” He leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth._

_“No, it’s not okay!” she moaned, but he walked off before she could say anything else. “Shoot!”_

_She didn’t notice Greg watching from the corner._


	2. Chapter 2

Luke and Jonathan had long since fallen asleep in their various positions on the couches. Only Noah and Maddie stayed awake to watch the rest of “It Happened One Night," a classic they both enjoyed and often talked about.

"If you ask me, I don't believe they're married." Both of them laughed as they simultaneously mimicked Zeke's wife in the final scene. Maddie was sat on the floor; leaning up against the couch by Noah's legs. Once the credits stopped rolling she looked up at him, took his hand; kissed the palm. “I’m so sorry, Noah.” She lifted her eyes to look into his. “That it happened to you…”

He leaned down over Luke; drew her into a hug. “Thanks. I’m fine. We’re both going to be fine.” He looked down at Luke’s sleeping face where it rested on his stomach; smiled softly.

Noticing his smile, she said, “You guys have come such a long way, you know?”

“Oh I know! Believe me!” And as if to solidify that fact, he ran his hand down Luke’s arm. Luke shifted; smiled in his sleep. Some time passed in silence before he said, “I’ve never really thanked you properly for what you did for us last year. It really helped, you know?”

“I’m glad.”

“I’m going to miss you when you leave tomorrow. And Jonathan. He’s a great guy…”

“Yes he is,” she agreed looking over at the ginger curls where they fell over the arm of the single couch. “It was lovely of Luke to buy the plane tickets for us. And to arrange to have Jonathan’s car shipped back. The thought of making _that_ journey again… Oh my word!”

Noah laughed. “You have no idea how glad I am that you did!” Then more seriously, “I can’t even think what would have happened if you guys hadn’t shown up…”

She nodded; patted his knee; keen they not dwell too long on those thoughts.

“Maddie, you are happy aren’t you? With Bruce I mean?”

She wavered for a second. “I love him.”

Noah sighed at her. “That wasn’t my question.” He hesitated before saying, “He treats you right?”

She looked down sadly; fidgeted with the bottom of her nightshirt. “He does the best he can.”

“Only, the other night I noticed that you have a nasty bruise…”

“Noah, it’s not what you think… please… I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

He didn’t press any further. Something told him not to. But he knew one thing, he and Luke would be on a plane to Montana by the following weekend.

***

_Greg was seated on the other side of Bruce’s desk._

_“Well Mr. Wilson, congratulations! You scored perfectly on your paper…” Bruce held up the page, where a large and circled red ‘A’ showed at the top of the page._

_Greg was smug. “Well great!”_

_Bruce flung the paper at him. “You are a C minus student, Mr. Wilson! Do you think I don’t know that? Who wrote this essay for you?”_

_“I didn’t cheat! I studied!”_

_“Don’t give me that bull! You're going to sit here right now and rewrite that paper! And then I can give you your well deserved ‘F’, which means probation and no more football!”_

_“You wouldn’t dare flunk me!”_

_“Oh, believe me! If you don’t improve on your grades I will flunk you, Mr. Wilson!”_

_“I don’t have to do anything you say! I’m number one on that team and there is no way the administration will let some stuck up professor risk a winning season!_

_Bruce smiled at the confidence the kid had in himself, “Actually, Mr. Wilson, I’ve already had a word with the administration and they agreed that your academic level is more important than sport, and they will stand by my decision if it comes to that…”_

_Greg’s face fell; suddenly he was seething with anger. “You look here Professor, you will accept my ‘A’ graded paper!”_

_“Or what?”_

_“Or I will tell the dean all about how you've been banging little miss perfect Maddie Coleman!”_

_Bruce felt his heart stop! This was his worst nightmare! He spent an entire week of hell trying to stay away from her to protect her from just this! He knew it was wrong to start up the relationship, but he'd been powerless to stop it. He'd fallen head-over-heals in love with Maddie from the moment she entered his lecture and tripped on the way up the stairs. She was perfect and he would spend hours just dreaming about her._ _So of course when she started to reciprocate his feelings, he allowed the walls to come down. The two of them found themselves in a heated and forbidden affair, one he thought only meant consequences for himself. However he recently discovered that the penalty for a student and teacher relationship was far worse than just his getting fired, Maddie risked being kicked out of school, and he couldn’t risk that._

_Heartbroken, Bruce began to distance himself from Maddie. He knew he was hurting her... that she wouldn’t understand... but it was the only way he could protect her. And somehow this little snake had discovered the truth; was obviously more than ready to use it to blackmail his teacher._

_Quickly Bruce stood up, indicating to Greg that he should leave._ _But as Greg reached the door he beamed. “I saw you kiss her! So what’s my grade now professor?”_

_Bruce looked at him sternly. “Do you really think what you know will make any difference?”_

_Greg was just about to reply when Maddie appeared. “Can I talk to you now Professor Williams?”_

_“He’s all yours...” Greg smiled as he slid out the office and left._

_“You promised you would call!” Maddie moaned._

_He pulled her into the office to shut the door._ _“Maddie..." He looked at her sadly._

_“Why are you doing this? I thought you liked me…”_

_“Oh Maddie, I do like you. I love you. You know that...”_

_“Then what?” she whispered, moving forward to put her arms around his neck._

_“We have to end it,” he said, pulling away from her._

_She looked confused. “Why?”_

_“Maddie, if this comes out... you and me... then we are both finished! I’m out of a job and you’ll be kicked out of school.”_

_“But nobody will find out…” she began._

_“Greg already knows!”_

_“What?”_

_“He saw me kiss you yesterday.”_

_“Shit! I’m so sorry! Has he said anything?”_

_“At the moment he’s using the information to get a good grade on his paper!”_

_“Oh, sweety! I’m really sorry! I never meant to get you into trouble.”_

_“It’s not your fault. It’s mine! Maddie, you are thirty years my junior! I have no idea what I was thinking allowing this to happen! I must be out of my mind!” He rubbed a hand against the side of his slightly graying temples._

_“We fell in love Bruce, that’s all. You can’t help who you love. And I want to be with you. Properly. So if this all comes out then… fine! Then it’s just you and me against the world, and I’m good with that if you are…”_

_She was so gorgeous he could do nothing but smile at her; take her in his arms; plant a kiss on her beautiful mouth. “Marry me!”_

_“What?”_

_“Marry me! No pomp and ceremony! Just you and me!”_

_She stared up into his green eyes..._ those _green eyes... there was something about_ those _green eyes... and felt the usual glow of warmth and safety the man made her feel._ _“_

_Okay!” she said, deciding to be crazy and impulsive for once (or maybe it was for the second time, but who was counting). “Let’s do it!”_

***

The police investigation into Oliver Deogostino was big news. Reporters clambered for information as more and more of his victims came forward, two of which worked with Noah at the studio. By tracking Oliver’s movements over the past few years, the police discovered two of the hidden bodies out of at least five murdered victims that they knew of, and the pressure was on.

Of course this made things extremely uncomfortable for Noah at the studio. Although details of the victims were never released by the police, it didn’t take much for Noah’s crew to put two-and-two together. He couldn’t stand the way their eyes followed him sympathetically around the studio, not to mention the way they spoke to him as though he were suddenly made of glass.

As a result, Noah had a basic editing system set up at the dining table, so that he could work from home until the heat died down; until people lost interest in the whole sordid story. And that was were he sat in complete concentration, earphones blocking out any sound but that of the scenes playing out on the screen, when Luke returned home from work.

Luke put his briefcase down by the door; moved around to the other end of the table. He stood there for quite some time before Noah looked up; jolted with surprise at the sight of him. A sideways smile crept across his face.

Quickly Luke put a finger to his own lips; with a mischievous grin slowly started to remove his tie. Earphones still on, Noah raised one questioning eyebrow at him, but didn’t make any move to speak. Lifting the tie high for a few minutes, Luke threw it across the table. Noah caught it against his chest, laughing out loud in that goofy way that always drove Luke nuts. Cocking his head slyly, Luke slowly began to unbutton his shirt. At the first sight of chest hair, Noah made a move to get up, but Luke quickly held up his hand to stop him. Smirking, Noah sat back down, still listening to the music playing on his earphones… watchful.

Luke turned his back to Noah; glanced back over his shoulder. Looking at him from under long eyelashes, he naughtily pulled the shirt down his back; wiggled his hips seductively. Noah snorted as the shirt fell to the floor. Walking closer, Luke locked bright eyes with Noah; started to undo the button and zip of his trousers. He could tell that Noah was fighting to keep the eye contact; dying to look down. Luke pulled the trousers off his legs; stumbling all clumsily in the process. Noah was cracking up, but he eyed out Luke’s lower torso before following the swell of his chest back up to his brown eyes. By now the want was a stark script written all over Noah’s face; chest heaving with desire.

Luke almost melted as Noah licked and then bit his lower lip. When just outside the range of Noah's grasp, he turned around; headed toward the hallway. He removed his underwear just before he left he room, giving Noah the perfect view of his firm backside, before disappearing down the hallway.

Noah ripped off the earphones; flew after him.

***

 _Maddie was nervous as hell about hosting this dinner. She really wanted to make a good impression. She and Bruce only recently moved to Montana after he officially resigned from the university, before Greg could turn them in._ _Maddie knew she would lose her school credits, but she figured she could find another school who would take her, even if she had to repeat some of the courses a second time. She had finally found safety and warmth and home with a man who was mature and could take care of her. And was most importantly, straight as an arrow in every way!_

_She expected to be edgy when she opened the door to their tiny apartment, but at the sight of the man standing on the other side, the two empty wine glasses she held entwined upside down in her hand dropped to the floor; shattered loudly. She froze and gasped, “Oh, my God!”_

_She was dreaming! She was sure she must be. Standing at her front door was a man she spent days, weeks, months trying to forget. A man she didn’t even know, but one that had entered her heart in a way no other ever had before._ _She was so shocked that night… the night she woke up half naked on the floor of a train; wrapped in the arms of this striking man who literally swept her off her feet in a matter of a few hours. So she ran. She left the train as soon as it pulled into the final stop. She realized too late she'd made a huge mistake, but she had no idea who the man was or how to find him._ _For weeks she spent every spare moment she could, sitting at the main university entrance, hoping to find him there. She asked around, describing his distinctive look to fellow students, but nothing every came of it! She even posted on social media sites, but there was never a response from the person she was hoping to hear from. He was lost to her forever._

_Or so she thought…_

_It was obvious that he too was shocked. He stood staring at her; bottle-green eyes as large as saucers. Neither of them could speak._

_Oblivious to the charge running between the two, Bruce appeared from the bedroom. He marched excitedly over to the door._ _“Jonathan!” He flung his arms around the stunned younger man, squeezing him tight for a few minutes before pulling back to say, “I see you’ve met my lovely wife! Maddie, this is Jonathan, my son!”_

_Maddie fainted._


	3. Chapter 3

Luke lay over the bottom half of Noah’s naked body, his cheek pressed into the small of Noah's lean back, his left arm on one broad shoulder blade; the right stretching higher to rest on Noah’s bicep.

“Noah?” he said softly, tickling his skin.

“Hmm?”

“Are you awake?”

“No… mmph”

Luke smiled. “You can’t sleep yet, we have to pack. Car’s picking us up early tomorrow…”

Silence.

Luke crawled further up the long body, “Baby?” he sang.

Sill nothing but the soft breaths of sleep. Luke lay listening to them for a while, enjoying the feel of Noah’s back as it rose and fell against his chest. He turned his head to place a light kiss on Noah’s lips. Noah made a few sucking sounds before smiling slightly. Luke blew softly at the wisps of black hair framing Noah's face.

“Wake up Noah!” Luke teased, pressing his cheek into the pillow by Noah’s head.

“Hey…” Noah muttered as he opened his eyes.

“How do you feel?”

“Great… like I’m floating… you make me feel like I’m floating…” Luke laughed softly; Noah’s right hand came up to stroke his face as his blue eyes studied him. “God I missed this…”

“What?”

“When I was blind? I missed your face. The way your forehead crinkles up when you concentrate. The way you frown at me when you don’t get your own way… and your smile… God, but I missed your smile. And it was like…” he suddenly looked sad as he remembered.

“Noah?” Luke frowned, rubbing his toes up and down one of Noah’s feet.

“...the longer things stayed dark, the more things faded, you know? And I would try to hold onto this image?” He spoke softly as he stroked his thumb over Luke’s eyebrow as Luke watched him intently. “But it was fading… and it was like… like I was forgetting… and I was terrified to forget! I didn’t want to forget… not ever!”

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” His eyes were suddenly wet with un-shed tears.

“No, Luke! Sorry… I'm not telling you this to upset you. I just want you to understand. Sometimes I remember how it felt, you know? And then at moments like these…” his smile sparkled, “...it’s just amazing! When I open my eyes to your face and I can _see_ you… I want you to really know what that means to me… how much I love you…”

Luke nodded, smiled and kissed him deeply for a long time, before coming back to his senses. “I love you too… I wish we could lay here for a while longer but come on... we need to pack before you fall asleep again…”

“Okay…” and as Luke rolled off him, Noah got up to sleepily pull on his boxers and grab a bag from the closet.

“Are you sure about this, Noah?” Luke asked, as he rose up on his elbow and rested his head on his hand.

“Maddie’s holding back on something. If that guys hurting her in any way, I need to make sure it stops. I mean, you saw that bruise!”

“I just… don’t you think Jonathan would have done something by now? He really seems to look out for her… “

“I know… I did wonder that. But the guy’s his father… I mean… maybe he can’t stand up to him? If there’s one person who knows what that’s like, it’s me. I would just feel better if we checked this out for ourselves.

“Yes, okay. You’re right.” He jumped up to help with the packing.

***

_Bruce came up from behind her, hooking one hand around her waist; handing her a cup of coffee with the other. As she took the cup he kissed the nape of her neck. “Mmm, you smell nice!”_

_“Thank you." She turned to give him a quick kiss on the lips. She could feel Jonathan’s eyes burning into them from across the room._

_“Sorry I have to leave so early today, but I want to get there in good time for my interview.”_

_“You’ll be great.”_

_“Thanks, darling.” He pulled her into a kiss that went on longer than she would have liked with Jonathan standing just yards away._

_“Maddie?” Jonathan’s strangled voice pierced through her as she stood in the crook of his father’s arm. “Um... can I show you something in the kitchen? I just need your opinion.” His tone was so strained… so desperate... that she was surprised Bruce didn’t notice it as he pulled out of the kiss._

_She looked up at Jonathan nervously and turned to Bruce, who by now was making his way to the door._

“You two carry on… I’ll see you in a few hours.”

_“Bye,” she barely got the word out before the door closed, leaving her alone… with him._

_“I’m jealous when you’re with him…” That voice from somewhere behind her, sending shivers down her spine. She wanted to cry out in frustration and at the same time._

_“Don’t do this to me, Jonathan! I can’t cope with it!”_

_“I can’t help it! Maddie, I don’t know a lot of things… I’m the clumsiest most stupid person in the world most of the time… but I know_ this _… I love you!”_

_“Stop…”_

_He quickly maneuvered in front of her, grabbing the tops of her arms as she tried to reach the bedroom door. “I loved you from the moment I first saw you on that platform.”_

_She looked slowly up at him, her eyes pleading._

_“Do you want to know what else I’m sure of?”_

_She shook her head. “Please don’t… please…”_

_“You love me too…”_

_“I’m married to your father! I love him. I can’t do this to him.” But even as she said the words his hands were burning through the sleeves of her dress, and the compulsion to lift her head up and kiss those lips… so close… so near to her own... was almost more powerful then she could control._

_“You want it too… don’t you? You’re afraid we’ll give in…”_

_Without conviction she whispered, “I think it’s time for you to leave_ _.”_

_“Maddie…”_

_“We’ve been through this over an over. We can’t let it happen!” she tried to wriggle out of his tight grasp, but he wasn’t giving in this time. She could feel the determination radiating off him._

_“Kiss me…” His emerald eyes burned into hers…_ Those _green eyes! The same eyes he shared with his father. The same eyes, she had come to realize with dread, must have attracted her to Bruce in the first place._

“No!”

_“Kiss me!”_

_Against her will her lips touched his with a warmth, a fire she hadn’t felt since that night in the train._

_And she was his…_

***

Once the cab driver confirmed that they were only ten minutes from Maddie’s address, Noah pulled out his phone to warn her of their arrival. They hadn’t told her they were coming in the hopes of catching her off guard and maybe finding out the truth about her life with Bruce.

The phone seemed to ring for a long time.

“No answer?” Luke asked him.

Noah shrugged; was just about to hang up when he heard Maddie’s voice say, “Hello?” She sounded alarmed... panicky.

“Hi, it’s Noah.” In the background he could hear the distinct sound of glass breaking; thought he heard a man say something.

“Um… it’s not really a good time right now. Hang on a second…”

“Maddie?”

Luke gave Noah a questioning look. Noah returned his stare with one of worry; heard a tap on the other line, as though the phone had been placed down somewhere. “Maddie?”

Suddenly, he heard her urgent and fearful voice say, “Bruce! Stop! Stop!”

Noah could hear an angry male voice yelling something at her.

Before the phone cut off he heard Maddie scream.

“Oh my, God!”

“What is it?” Luke grabbed Noah’s knee at the look of shock on his face.

“Can you go faster please?” Noah asked the cab driver leaning forward over the seat in front. “It’s an emergency! I think our friend’s in trouble!”

***

_He couldn’t believe that after making all the effort to get up extra early for the interview, he’d gotten half way there to discover he forgot all his papers behind! He was irritated with himself, but at the same time he couldn’t help smiling, realizing it was because he was so caught up with Maddie that morning. God, but she was a stunner!_

_As he unlocked and opened the door he called, “Maddie? You wouldn’t believe it but I forgot…” and the words stuck instantly in his throat as he spotted them…_ _“Maddie?” Her name flew breathless from his lips. The love he had for her, always brightly written on his features, now shone out with despair… his world suddenly completely shaken. They were always meant to be together… they belonged together… right?_

_He stood utterly disarmed and helpless. He was losing her. The scene in front of him confirmed that. The way she looked at his son who lay partly naked with her on the carpet of their apartment... touching her... kissing her…_

_He felt his heart explode with pain. Not able to look anymore, he turned and blindly fled out the door, his peripheral vision just catching sight of Maddie stumbling to get up and calling his name in agony, “Bruce!”_

***

The elevator to the 10th floor of Maddie’s apartment building was agonizingly slow… Four eyes... two brown, two blue... watched anxiously as each number lit up on the panel. Both had no idea what was happening, or what to expect when they finally made it to their destination. They just knew that Maddie needed them, and they restlessly shifted weight impatiently from left to right foot.

Noah was the first through the metal doors, pulling them open as though that would somehow make them move faster. He bolted out and quickly; read the arrowed numbers on the wall to know which direction to run in. Luke followed hot on his heels.

The closer they got to the apartment, the louder the screams from within.

“Maddie?” Luke yelled.

“Maddie? Noah banged desperately on the door. “Maddie, open up!”

“Bruce, you’re hurting me! Please!” 

Without pause, Noah backed up and flung himself at the apartment door. It budged but didn’t open, so he tried again and again until the lock snapped. He fell into the room; quickly clambered back on his feet. He spotted Maddie on the floor in the corner, her elbow covering her face while a large man loomed over her, throwing blow after blow of punches.

“Son of a bitch!” Noah yelled, storming across the room, consumed in anger that this man dare lay his hands on her. He threw an arm around the older man’s neck; dug his hands hard into the man’s skin to pull his arm around his back; yank him off the cowering and shivering Maddie.

Luke was instantly on the floor, trying to pull Maddie away from the fury Noah was venting, but she held out both her arms toward them, trying to get to them and screamed, “No! Noah, stop! Stop!”

After choking the man almost senseless, knocking over chairs and tables, smashing vases and lamps, Noah turned him around and pushed him hard into the wall. The man dropped like a sack. He barely had time to recover before Noah was pounding a fist into his head. “How do you like it, hey?”

“Noah! He doesn’t understand!” Maddie continued to yell desperately.

As Luke looked up toward the cowering man, it became clear to him that something was off. The man lay without fighting back, in the fetal position, moaning like a wounded animal.

“He doesn’t understand!” she cried again, her voice cracking.

Luke quickly raced forward to pull Noah off.

His boyfriend fell back into Luke so that the two of them ended up entangled on the floor. Luke had to wrap both his arms around Noah’s upper body, entrapping him to keep him from raging forward again. He spoke from behind into Noah’s ear, “Stop! He’s down… He’s down…”

They both watched astonished as Maddie ran over to the man’s side, tears streaming down her face. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Its okay, baby. Its okay.” She spoke as if to a small child.

When the man looked up, his face was wet and snot ran from his nose. He mumbled something unintelligible to her and she stroked his head.

“I know he did, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. Forgive me?” The man’s eyes were huge with fear, but he flung his arms around her; sobbed into her breast. “Okay…” she placated. “Okay…”

***

_He didn’t know where he was driving to… he just had to keep moving… just keep moving and keep his tormented mind off the scene he had witnessed. How long? How long had it been going on? Jonathan had only been in town for a few days! How could it have happened? He was sure when he married her that she loved him and only him. So how could she betray him so easily? How could both of them betray him?_

_He was a fool! He was a fool to think he could hold onto such a young, beautiful, sweet light!_

_He pressed his foot to the peddle the moment he hit the motorway, the speed helped him escape. Tears poured from his face. He gulped in air as he tried to breathe, his entire life left in crumbles._

_A sudden explosion of agony blew him somewhere between unconsciousness and reality. He felt his stomach heave as his head crushed against the spinning steering wheel. Glass shattered from all directions; cut at his skin; lungs bursting as he tried to draw in gasps of cold air. Metal, dirt, glass and debris rolled and rolled for what felt like an eternity; then a gigantic splash heralded the water._

_His blurred vision just managed to make out the oily surface, now rising above the level of the window, before quickly covering his head._

***

“It happened more than a year ago now,” Maddie sighed. “Sometimes he can get a little rough when he’s frustrated, but he doesn’t mean to hurt anybody.”

“Brain damage?” Noah repeated for the umpteenth time, disbelieving the terrible situation Maddie had found herself it. It was tragic beyond belief and his heart went out to her.

During their conversation, Bruce spent the time entertaining himself, first with a bag of chips, and finally finding fascination in a wicker basket full of toys. He was obviously completely oblivious to the subject of their conversation; had long since forgotten the events of the previous hour.

“Jonathan did try to find me,” Maddie continued, as she played with a wet tissue in her hands, her eyes red from crying, “but two days after we met on the train he got called to Italy...”

“Italy?” Both men said at once.

“His mother lived there. She died and he had to go… to make arrangements…”

They looked at her sympathetically.

“And during that time I fell for Bruce. I realize now that I fell for Bruce because of the part of him that was Jonathan. And then when Jonathan arrived…” she looked down ashamed. “It was him! It was always him! I had substituted him for his father!” She sniffed through her tears.

“Maddie you couldn’t have known.” Luke sat next to her to place a kiss on her temple and put his arm around her. Almost instantly Noah saw some of the tension on her face fade. He marveled once again at Luke’s amazing ability to make people feel better with just a word and a touch. It was something in his gentle nature, in the tone of his voice and the brightness of his face.

“Sometimes it gets too much, you know? So that’s why I spent so much time visiting you guys, apart from the fact that you needed me to. It was a way to forget for a little while. Jonathan has been pressing me to move on. But I can’t. I just can’t! It’s all our fault… that Bruce is the way he is now… we destroyed his life! What right do we have to a life of our own?”

“Maddie,” Noah said kindly, leaning forward from the coffee table he was seated on to take both her hands in his, “take it from two people who know what it means to waste time blaming each other for an accident that was nobody’s fault,” his eyes fell on Luke, who smiled at him, before returning to Maddie, “Bruce loves you! And from all accounts he also loves his son…”

“Could you guys have handled the situations better? Sure..." Luke finished. "But ultimately Bruce would want the two of you to be happy, instead of wasting your lives because of some misguided sense of obligation or guilt.”

She stared across the room at Bruce as he played happily with a bag of marbles, she seemed to be musing their words over in her head… giving them careful consideration.

“Think about it, sweetheart,” Noah added. “Would Bruce… with the way he is now… be any worse off if you were to start a relationship with Jonathan?”

It was at that point that Jonathan arrived home, surprised by the sight of Luke and Noah and the disheveled apartment. He didn’t make a move to enter, but rather stood dumbstruck in the frame of the door. “Everything okay?” he asked with trepidation.

As Maddie stood up to cross the room, Noah took her place by Luke’s side. They put their arms around each other smiling knowingly.

Reaching Jonathan, Maddie said, “Everything’s great!” She smiled her most dazzling smile at him. “Everything’s suddenly perfect!”

To his utter shock she took his face in her hands and kissed him, for all the world like it was the last kiss of her life. His arms instantly... instinctively... embraced her.

“You know you’re kinda sexy when you’re in rescue mode?” Luke whispered over to Noah, as they watched the young couple.

“And you’re kinda sexy when you’re in comforting mode,” Noah countered.

“I think it's time for us to go home.”

Noah squeezed his hand smiling, “Same here…”


End file.
